Munich, First Published Jan 1, 2022, 5:45 PM IST
Germany has shut down half of its six nuclear power plants, which have been in operation for decades. The rest will close by the end of this year. The government is paying $ 3 billion in compensation to the nuclear companies.
Last year, Germany decided to switch from phone fuels to renewable energy sources and stop using nuclear power plants for energy. As a result, Germany has now shut down three nuclear power plants.
Three nuclear power plants operating in Germany in the 1980s have now been shut down. For 40 years, these nuclear power plants have been a major contributor to Germany’s energy needs. The closure of the Brockdorf nuclear power plant in the wake of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster in the Soviet Union sparked massive protests. The controversial nuclear power plant is located on the banks of the LB River, about 40 km from Hamburg. Despite the protests, the Brockdorf nuclear power plant, which was still operating at the time, was shut down due to new circumstances.
The other two plants that have been shut down are the Gronde nuclear power plant, 40 km south of Hanover, and the Grunderminchen nuclear power plant, 80 km west of Munich. The decision is to close the remaining three nuclear power plants in Germany by the end of 2022.
In 2002, the center-left government led by Gerard Schroeder decided to shut down nuclear power plants. As a result, his successor, Angela Merkel, decided to shut down nuclear power plants by 2022. In the wake of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan, Merkel reversed her own decision to reopen the plant.
Opposition to the closure of nuclear power plants was high in Germany. However, the German government has stated that it will continue to work towards the goal of becoming a climate-friendly economy by 2045. The German government has stated that the decision to shut down nuclear power plants by 2022 and to shut down coal power plants by 2030 is part of this larger goal.
Doing so will not lead to an energy crisis in the country, said Robert Hebek, Minister for Climate and Economy. He said the new crisis could be overcome by increasing the use of renewable energy sources and expanding the power grid.
In addition to Germany, many other countries have decided to shut down their nuclear facilities. In contrast, some other countries in Europe are making decisions to use more nuclear energy. France’s move to build more nuclear power plants has caused controversy among European nations.
Employees who lose their jobs due to the closure of nuclear power plants will be relocated until 2030 after the closure of these plants. The German government has paid $ 3 billion in compensation to nuclear companies for the closure.
Meanwhile, it has not yet been decided where the thousands of tons of nuclear waste left over from the plant’s closure will be stored. Experts estimate that some of the radioactive material in the remaining remains will be irradiated for 35,000 generations.
Last Updated Jan 1, 2022, 5:45 PM IS
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